BBQ for the common good

By MaryKate McCann
October 9, 2012

 

People see a small African-American community amidst a large white population of higher socio-economic people. Automatically this community is targeted because of the location that they happen to live in. Automatically this community is targeted because of the location that they happen to live in. The core value here is respect.

Students in Dr. Schwarz’s Engagement in the Common Good seminar class hosted a community barbeque highlighted with good food and plenty of fellowship between both the Cabrini and Mt. Pleasant communities. The cooperation between the two made this evening a success.

 “It was amazing to play with the little kids in the community,” Josh Muslca, sophomore exercise major said. “Interacting with the long-term residents of Mt. Pleasant was a great time.”

It may have been a cold and rainy afternoon, but in the basement of the Mt. Pleasant’s first Baptist church on Sunday, Oct. 7, it was all warmth and smiles. The students of Cabrini College came together and provided food and activities for the people of Mount Pleasant.

The students supplied mini pumpkins to paint and a cup of goodies to hand out to the children.

“I thought it was cool painting pumpkins with the little kids,” Frankie Magazu, marketing major said. “It gave me the opportunity to do something nice for another.”

This event, which is becoming an annual one, has done a lot to bridge the town-and-gown gap between Cabrini and the small nearby sub community of Wayne, which calls itself Mt. Pleasant.

“The people in Mt. Pleasant are beginning to be familiar with Cabrini students and feel kindly toward them,”  Schwarz said. “Cabrini students are getting acquainted with their neighbors and have increasing respect for them.”

The barbeque always makes everyone nervous. They worry about the weather. They worry about who will show up. They worry about whether they will have forgotten something important in their preparations.

 “I always leave elated by what a good job the students have done and how much good fellowship has been created between our two communities,” Schwarze said.

“By getting to know each other, we are all growing in understanding and coming to appreciate our similarities and differences,” Schwarze continued. “The barbecue is doing a very good job of building community and building community is what our ECG program is all about.”

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MaryKate McCann

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